Duke league’s president

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33451, 5 February 1974, Page 2

Duke league’s president

i\.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 4. Prince Philip was elected grand president of the British Commonwealth Ex - Services League when its triennial conference opened today. He succeeds the retiring president. Lord Louis Mountbatten. The Duke told the conference he believed that it! was organisations such as the league, and not trade, defence and politics, which gave strength substance to' the Commonwealth: the quiet unspectacular work of such organisations held the (Commonwealth together. j

Although the primary function of the league must continue to be to look after the welfare of former servicemen and service women, it must also encourage these people in any voluntary.' social and Government work which they did, and let the general public know that they were still carrying out useful service to the community. Prince Philip said he had; been reluctant to accept the post as grand president, not' out. of any disrespect for the league, but because he realised the difficulty of sue-; ceeding Lord Mountbatten and other predecessors. But he promised to do everything he could to support and encourage the work of the organisation. j The conference, the first,

-■ the league has held in New t Zealand since it was formed - 53 years ago. was opened by - the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk), t Carrying out one of his ! last duties as president. Lord . Mountbatten laid the first of : 30 wreaths in a ceremony at ! the National War Memorial t today. He was followed by : the Dominion President of ■ the New Zealand Returned Services Association (Sir LHamilton Mitchell) and other i delegates attending the coni' ference. • Wreaths were laid by repi resentatives of former ser- ■ vicemen’s organisations from i Commonwealth countries in : the Caribbean, Britain. West ■ and East Africa. Asia and : Australia and from former f Commonwealth countries— South Africa, Ireland, and :, Pakistan. |